Packaged aid station



Aug. 30, 1960 E. R. BABCOCK 2,950,791

PACKAGED AID STATION Filed Oct. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 CO v g I m N m E v m V o w v] 0 Ow N 0 mm Q q INVENTOR. ELDEN R. BABCOCK A T TOP/V5 V Aug. 30, 1960 E. R. BABcoCK PACKAGED AID STATION Filed Oct. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ELDE/V R. BABCOCK A TTOPNE V 1960 E. R. BABCOCK 2,950,791

PACKAGED AID STATION Filed Oct. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ELDEN R. BABCOCK A T TOPNEV PACKAGED AID STATION Elden R. Babcock, Jacksonville, N.C., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Oct. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 8 3,122

3 Claims. (Cl. 190-9) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) station for use by groups such as Marine Corps field medical organizations during warfare or civil defense organizations during natural disasters or for passive defense and to provide such an aid station which is compact, readily transportable, and capable of being expeditiously set up for operation.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention set up for use;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view, partly broken away, of the main framework, shown in phantom lines in the process of being set up and in solid lines as fully set up;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation view taken from the right of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation view taken from the left of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross section, partially broken away, taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged top view, partly broken away, of one corner of the principal framework showing a lock for retaining the framework in expanded position; and

Fig. 7 is a top view of the framework in collapsed position ready for transport.

Old methods for providing a battalion aid station consisted of packin miscellaneous separate items in a number of different boxes or chests and transporting them by automotive vehicle or aircraft to the point of use. Tents for enclosing aid stations and poles and other associated equipment were also handled separately. Disadvantages of this old method were that the various boxes were not integrated into one unit, the aid stations could not be. operated at full utility until all the boxes and tents were gathered together, excessive time losses were encountered because of lack of integration, tents and components were not compact and were not light in weight, and excessive time was required in setting up the station.

The present invention embodies a new concept which involves integrating the equipment and supplies required for an aid station. In essence, it comprises a framework, generally box-like in shape, which has a space at the bottom for storage of medical chests, supplies, and equipment and which has a box-type enclosure at the top for the storage of a generously sized tent plus all necessary poles, pegs, and lines. Folding A frame brackets are hinged to the inside of this enclosure and can be unfolded to Patented Aug. 39, 1969 2 provide support for a permanently attached central ridge pole.

Reference is now made to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention. In Fig. 1 is shown the aid station completely set up with the front of the tent removed for clarity. The framework generally indicated at 2 includes the lower storage space, for medical chests and the like, having a bottom or floor 4, which may conveniently be designated as the lower bottom. The chests are omitted from this figure for clarity. The frame is made of any suitable strong lightweight material such as aluminum alloy conveniently in the shape of angle sections bolted or otherwise suitably fastened together. The upper box-type enclosure whose bottom or floor 5, which may conveniently be designated as the upper bottom, is supported by angle section pieces 6 and 8 and serves as storage space for folded A frames 10 and 12 as well as for extension poles 14, the tent which is rolled on these two extension poles, and the ropes, pegs and other poles needed to complete the tent structure.

The A frames 1d and 12 are each hinged to the inside of the box-type enclosure as can be seen in Fig. 2, where the rotating tubes 16 are illustrated as bearing in brackets 18 fixed to the principal framework. Each A frame is made up of aluminum alloy tubing or the like hinged near its center as at 18 to enable it to fold, for

carrying purposes, into the upper box-type enclosure. The process of folding is illustrated in Fig. 2 and the completely folded position appears in Fig. 7. The central portion 2% of the ridge pole is welded or otherwise fastened as at 22 in Fig. 5 to swivels generally indicated at 24, which include separate pieces 26 bolted to pieces 28 so as to encircle the upper cross piece 31) of each A frame and permit free rotation of the swivel relative to the cross piece 39. The A frames are synchronized in movement by two cables 32 passing over pulleys 34, which latter turn in unison with the lower A frame members 36. The A frames, when unfolded, are locked in position by locks 38 (Figs. 6 and 7) which engage the upright portions 49 of the A frames. These locks are hinged to the upper portion of the box-type framework and swing out of the way when not in use. By making the angle of the A somewhat narrower in the case of frame 12 than in the case of frame it a convenient nesting arrangement is permitted, as seen in Fig. 7, which allows the overall length of the principal framework to be less than if identical A frames were used.

In Fig. 2, chests and packages of supplies are shown in position in the framework to illustrate its use as a carrier for supplies. To transport the equipment, helicopter lift bolts 42 are provided to which any convenientharness can be attached to facilitate lifting by helicopter. For manual carrying, handles 44 are provided.

Operation Prior to use, the A frames are folded down into the position shown in Fig. 7. The necessary supplies are packed and fastened into the lower portion of the frame work resting on the bottom or floor. The tent is rolled on the two extension poles 14 and these poles together with telescoping tent poles 46, ropes, tent pegs, and tent pins and the like are stowed in the upper portion of the principal framework into which the A frames have been folded. A harness is secured to the eye bolts 42 and the entire assembly can now be picked up by a helicopter and dropped where needed.

For use in the field, the tent poles are assembled. The tent itself is unrolled from the two extension pieces 14 which latter are then assembled to the center portion 20 of the ridge pole. When the extension pieces are in place, the tent is pulled over them and then two men enter under the tent and raise the ridge pole to its final upright position. In effect, the A frames are used as jacks to help raise the entire tent. In unfolding the A frames, it suflices to lift the center portion 20 or any other convenient part of the mechanism since the cables 32 automatically insure that the entire folding assembly is erected when any one part is unfolded. The locks 38 are placed in locking position, around the upright mem bers 40 and the tent is then ready to be draped over the ridge pole. The support poles 46 at the end of the ridge pole are placed in position before unrolling the tent material. Thereafter the other supporting poles ropes, and pegs are placed in position in the usual manner.

The present invention, it is seen, provides an integrated tent and cargo carrier which can be used not only as an aid station, but also for other purposes such as a command post, communications center, field dental ofiice, etc. With appropriate fasteners and tent design, several of the tents can be placed end to end, providing a large covered area for use as a hospital, maintenance shelter, etc.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable aid station comprising a framework generally in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped and further comprising a lower bottom and an upper bottom; said lower bottom together with said framework constituting a container for retaining medical supplies and the like; said upper bottom together with said framework constituting a box-type container for retaining tent parts and the like; a pair of generally A-shaped frames hinged at their lower ends to said framework about normally horizontal axes, each of said axes lying within said box-type container and adjacent, respectively, each end thereof; each of said A-fr ames comprising two parts hinged together about a normally horizontal axis intermediate the ends of the A-frame; each of said A-frames having at its apex a transverse crosspiece extending generally parallel to the pivotal axis of the A-frame; a ridgepole center piece having a swivel adjacent each end thereof, each said swivel encompassing, respectively, one of said crosspieces in bearing relation therewith; a pulley fixed to each of said A-frames to turn in unison therewith about the said axis of said A-frame lying within said box-t pe structure, said pulley being coaxial with said last-mentioned. axis; a crossed cable passing over said pair of pulleys so that motion of one A-frame automatically produces concomitant motion of the other A-frame; means for locking said A-frames in extended position; and ridgepole extensions adapted to engage the ends of said ridgepole center piece to extend the latter.

2. The aid station of claim 1 further including a plurality of lifting eyes spaced around the upper region of said framework and adapted to receive a harness for lifting said aid station.

3. The aid station of claim 2 further including a plurality of handles spaced around the exterior of said framework to facilitate manual lifting of said aid station.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 32,536 Strong June 11, 1861 33,128 Boissard et a1 Aug. 27, 1861 192,489 Descomtes June 26, 1877 336,347 Rice Feb. 16, 1886 2,581,645 Freider et al. Jan. 8, 1952 2,671,623 Toulmin Mar. 9, 1954 ERNEST; .w

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PatGHtN 2 950 791 August 30,,1960

Elden R. Babcock It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below. I

Column 2 line 14 beginning with "The upper box-type enclosure" strike out all to and including "tent structure." in line 20, same column, and insert instead the following:

The upper box-=type enclosure whose bottom or floor 5 (which may conveniently be designated as the upper bottom) is supported by angle section pieces 6 and 8, serves as storage space for folded A frames 10 and 12 as well as for extension poles 14, the tent which is rolled on these two extension poles and the ropes pegs. and

other poles needed to complete the tent structure Signed and sealed this 18th day of April 19610 (SEAL) Attest:

DAVID L. LADD Commissioner of Patents Attesting Oflicer 

